Ukraine pulls out of pensions agreement with Belarus

May 30, BPN. On May 29, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the termination of a pension agreement with Belarus.

It said that the move would bring social security legislation in line with Ukraine’s national interests and foreign policies but would not affect the rights of citizens acquired under the agreement.

The parliament linked it to Belarus’ support of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

In July 2022, Ukraine terminated an agreement on inland waterways navigation and in February 2023, a search and rescue agreement.

On May 6, the Ukrainian government also withdrew from two treaties with Belarus: a veterinary agreement dating back to August 2002 and a plant quarantine and protection agreement signed in October 2013.

Less than a week later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved Kyiv’s withdrawal from a memorandum on border protection cooperation between Ukraine, Belarus and Russia signed in 1994.

In mid-May, Belarus terminated an agreement with Ukraine on cooperation in the field of technical protection of information.

In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. Authorities in Minsk denied Belarusian army troops’ involvement in combat operations on the Russian side. However, Belarus allowed Russian troops and weapons to move freely through the country, use its airspace, refuel and store military equipment and attack Ukraine from its territory.